Tribute to Friends and Family

It's 1:00 AM Monday morning and my Search (humanities) midterm is literally 12 hours away. While I've done the reading, studied for the past five hours, and attended the study session, I still feel like I don't adequately grasp all these names/dates/numbers. This semester feels more like a history than humanities class. At any rate, I think I'm doomed.

Regardless of how I fare on this exam, this week will be Hellish. I have Search midterm tomorrow, monologue performance (where I have to channel a Marilyn Monroe-obsessed, sex-goddess wannabe from the late 60's) and piano master class Tuesday, and English paper and Theory test on Friday. Thankfully, the stress-level of each task gets progressively less excessive as the week goes on. However, it's going to be a doozy.

At a frantic, chaotic time like this, I have to remind myself of the wonderful, stable things in my life--these being my friends and my family. While I have just now settled into a new family at Rhodes, there's still something comfortable about your family back home and friends from elementary/middle/high school. Thus, this post is for them.

My mother is delightfully quirky. My love for music (at least in one capacity) stemmed from her. She loves musical theatre, classical music, hymns, and standards (all of which I love.) Though she claims she has little musical talent, this is not the case. She sightreads and harmonizes better than anyone I know and enjoys singing in the car a bit too much. She thoroughly enjoys singing in the car, making turkey dip, and doing high kicks (which, if she reads this, she might kill me for saying.) All kidding aside, she's a pretty wonderful person. I don't really know what led me to discuss this with you, but I suppose I might miss the fam. She cares about her students (she's a teacher) greatly--almost to the point of creepiness (yes, everyone, teachers DO stalk kids' blogs and facebooks, so beware) and my sister occasionally (okay, maybe more than occasionally) gets frustrated with having her mother teach at her high school, but all this seeming "overprotective-ness" and involvement is out of love and a genuine compassion for her students and her daughters. The reasons I respect her are numerous and I won't go into them all here, but if anything I say on here is remotely eloquent, it's because she taught me how to write. If anything on her makes you think I have something positive in my character, it's because she raised me well. That may be completely un-arts related, but I sort of felt it necessary to give credit to her on here. She's a pretty great person and I hope you have the pleasure of knowing her.

My sister is a total goof. She's even quirkier than my mother, possibly more theatre-obsessed than I am, and enjoys redecorating various parts of the house that are no longer inhabited by yours truly. She has possibly the brightest and friendliest smile you've ever seen (one that looks particularly fantastic onstage) and similarly seems as though she popped out of a Disney film. She's infallibly loyal and cares sincerely about her friends. She also has great capacity for having faith in people--something I lack and something I admire in her. She, like my mother, enjoys singing in the car, and though my mother has sad hopes of us becoming a small version of the Von Trapps, this will never happen. We're all practically tenors and...how do I put this nicely?...none of us will ever become Barbra Streisand or Julie Andrews--try though we may.
Abby and me in NYC--clearly excited.

Me and Bayla at BonnieJean's House Getting ready to decorate her tree!
Bayla is insane. I remember meeting her when she visited in 8th grade, and I thought she was the most arrogant brat I'd ever met. She said she was a dancer (and she carried herself like one) and someone asked if she was good. She replied, "yes." I had never heard someone receive a compliment like that. I was totally taken aback. Little did I know that this was merely an indicator of gumption rather than arrogance. Bayla has obscenely curly red hair, friendly dimples, and the prettiest smile you've ever seen. She likes to think she's a hippie (which, Bayla if you ever read this, don't let it dissuade you) and she'd like to marry James Taylor. She's a modern dancer; She's the kind of dancer you can't take your eyes off of when she's onstage. There's something beyond her movement that is so captivating--it's her energy, spirit, and genuine love of being on stage, performing, and dance. Beyond this, she gives the warmest hugs, best advice, greatest reason for a laugh, and great friendship.

(Allie, Me, Bayla at Hockaday Graduation 2007)
(Do I sound like a Hallmark card, yet?)

My aunts, cousins, uncles, and grandparents all have their delightful traits. There are two Susans--Susan Rogers is possibly the most content person I've ever known. I've never seen her unhappy and she has a genuine desire to be involved (in a positive way) in everyone's lives--because she cares. Susan Gharis (aka "Luscious Lips, don't ask...) has the goofiest and most wonderful laugh ever. She's generous to a fault. Bill similarly has a crazy, nearly maniacal giggle that's infectious and an interesting hybrid mix of these two giggles manifested itself in their inquisitive daughter, Caroline. Will is quieter, but he's a wonderfully decent human being who really loves his family and Daniel is basically a Tasmanian devil with a great heart. Dan, Patty, and Christopher and Davis (they're twins!) always make me smile and Rick, John, Rebecca, and Erin are all decidedly good-natured. Kalli and Jake, besides being the absolute cutest children I've ever seen alive, are rarely seen displeased with anything. They're little adults who say the funniest things you've ever heard. Kara, though she is ever-so-slightly OCD (she asks for Christmas lists in August and sends me regular nutritional warnings via email) has a great sense of humor and a wonderful heart. Tim is a total computer nerd who enjoys food fights. He's a real man because he loves Meg Ryan movies (but not half as much as he adores his wife and kids) and essentially my second father. Grandmother is the best cook in the universe (I promise you she will out-bake anyone's pies and out-cook anyone's mashed potatoes and rolls) and a wonderfully generous human being. Christmas at her house is always a treat. Though the Breeds are farther away, they are the bomb.com. Justin, Austin, and Z-man are all growing up to be awesome guys, and Aunt Jan is one of the strongest people I know. Pop has the loudest sneezes and laughs on the planet, says "Hot Dog!" to exclaim extreme happiness, and occasionally seems as though he wandered out of a Western. That said, he is a great man and I respect him so much. Grandmama is my namesake and rolemodel. Anytime I'm struggling in a situation, I try so hard to emulate her.

(My makeup is post-"Millie"...I don't normally look this crazy!)


If you can't tell, I love and miss my family more than anything (and yes, Bayla counts. She even came to Christmas:) They are incredible people and I have no clue what I'd do without them. Even though it's nearly March, I'm having so much trouble adjusting to not seeing my favorite people every weekend. I still get care packages, letters, and calls, but it's not quite the same.

Fortunately, I get to see them all in two weeks (!) and then one whole side of the fam is coming up the week of March 15th (and you can tell by this post--there are a LOT of them) so it should be crazy!

Well this excessively nostalgic post must come to an end so I may resume my Search studies. Wish me luck!

(For giggles and a silly finish, here's some REALLY old nostalgia:)

Reverie-Induced Catharsis

It's been a pretty interesting weekend. I've been absurdly happy, ridiculously embarrassed, unabashedly excited, and seriously confused. Currently, Memphis is showcasing the most beautiful weather possible in the south--sunny and windy--and I couldn't be happier. I finally began to catch up on sleep last night after seeing Joshua Bell (!?) at GPAC. Joshua Bell, as Christine aptly put, "made sounds I never thought POSSIBLE from a violin." He was elegant, graceful, and literally danced with the music. While it'd be easy to brush this off as silly and ridiculous and pompous, the music he created while dancing with his violin was such that no one could ever complain! Friday night was the Famous Lovers dance (Johnny and I went as Robbie Hart and Julia Guiglia from The Wedding Singer) and it was a blast. I apparently channeled the 80s a little bit too much into my dance moves, but it was appropriate considering our costumes, so I'm pretty sure I'm safe. (Can I interject right now and say that I have the best pandora.com radio station on? It's Paolo Nutini's New Shoes Radio and it has been the best mix so far...) As Friday evening progressed, my friend and I got into a ridiculous fight about her lack of recognition of her strengths/her ability to literally always put others before herself. She's kind of like my grandmother in this sense--it's not forced, it's not intentional. She literally is programmed to think of others before herself and always be concerned with other peoples' problems before her own, meanwhile criticizing her own faults (which are few and far between...) Anyway, this somehow caused great strife for me internally and this stress manifested itself in about thirty dreams last night that happened all in a row. One of them was my best friend from high school and I running through a candy emporium, grabbing all the delicious candies humanly possible. This was wonderful, until we ran into a person who wasn't too fond of us from high school and said person ruined our fun. However, we (in my dream)decided it was appropriate since candy is shiny and has a fake sugary coating just like this person. My next dream was a trip to Disney world and all of my friends, teachers, and mentors stood around the Cinderella castle (which I was in) and took turns pointing out every single flaw in my physical appearance, relationships, and personality. It was truly the most horrific nightmare I think I've ever had. It was kind of awful. I woke up after this one (and had a bit of trouble dozing back off) but decided I needed to sleep again so hopefully I could awake after a happier dream. It's pretty windy here, and my window by my bed is open so the sun and wind kept hitting my face. Anyway, this triggered Pocohontas, so Mel Gibson's voice was in my head as I heard "Steady as the Beating Drum" and then "mine, Mine, Mine." These were the three dreams I remember most, but I know there were others. It was kind of crazy, but wonderful I guess. I don't know what to take from them or how to justify that they're artsy, but I thought I should talk about them somewhere, even if it's on my blog.

And for some reason, they didn't put me in a terrible mood. Actually, this catch up on sleep has just made me much, much happier. And now all I want is a banana. So I'm going to go get lunch.

Hope you have a wonderful blustery day.
Katharine

Dance-Extravaganza!

Kids, if nothing else, please make your way over to see some truly spectacular dance in Memphis. Anyone who knows me knows that I am possibly one of the most critical people, but I passionately love Ballet Memphis, New Ballet Ensemble, and Dayton Dance Company (which flew through Memphis on Friday) and I rarely have any negative criticisms to offer regarding these three. Friday evening, I saw Dayton Dance Company (a feeder into Alvin Ailey) and was incredibly moved and entertained throughout the evening. There were four pieces--all with a great amount of variety--and the show lasted about two hours. The dancers were young, fresh, fully engaged in the work, and 100% entertaining. Dayton Dance focuses on modern dance--no ballet shoes, no pointe shoes. While there were a couple of stand-out dancers (as there usually are in companies), the company worked exceptionally well together. My two favorite pieces were traffic (basically making human beings cars, planes, trains all moving around one another) and Unresolved (a duet between two absolutely gorgeous dancers about an intense relationship that ultimately remains "unresolved.") I had never seen the company before, so it was a pleasant surprise for me to be that enthralled!

Last night I had the opportunity to see Ballet Memphis' AbunDANCE. I'd only seen Ballet Memphis twice before (and was equally in love both times) but I had another wonderful time last night. The focus of the evening was variety of religions and faiths. The first piece was focusing on "Meditation" and was Asian-influenced, the second piece was "Seven Threads," focusing on Judaism with Spanish music, the third focused on the Muslim faith, and the last was Trey McIntyre's "Grace." Meditation was enjoyable, but it's often hard for me to become fully engrossed with a piece when I don't like the music. The music was fine--but nothing heart-stirring or really pleasant, even, so I had a hard time following. That said, the movement was truly innovative and beautiful. The second piece had beautiful staging and better music, but the movement wasn't as exciting as I wanted it to be. The piece focusing on the Muslim faith, however, was more of a stand-out. I still found myself lost, at times...And I was somewhat bothered that the choreographer was interpreting a faith he didn't believe in or follow, but it was largely a beautiful piece. I was particularly excited for "Grace," since I'm generally madly in love with Trey McIntyre's work. While it was moving at times (particularly at "Greater Day" and "His Eye is on the Sparrow") it was not my favorite piece I've seen him create. The stage set-up was amazing--there was a raked upstage with a gospel choir on each end. The movement was, as always, beautiful, but it wasn't life altering. The whole evening was lovely as a whole, it just wasn't my favorite performance I've seen.

Anyway, that's essentially the arts update for the weekend. I leave you now to write a five page paper and study for a test--both tomorrow!!

Arts Update

Hello Folks! Here's a brief update on the arts goings-on in my life...

Cabaret rehearsals are going well thus far--should be a really interesting show!

This Friday, I'm going to see the Dayton Dance Company--I am truly excited about this! I've never seen them, and apparently they're a feeder company into Alvin Ailey (WHAT?!) so it should be really enjoyable. Saturday night, I would LOVE to see AbunDANCE at Ballet Memphis so we'll see how that goes. I'll definitely let you know my thoughts afterwards.

Saturday mornings, John Weeden and I are continuing our "Weeden Arts Radio" (for which we could certainly use a better name.) Listen in at blogtalkradio.com!

Singers had an Encore Performance of the Armed Man Mass for Peace this last weekend and I believe the concert went extraordinarily well. It was pretty bittersweet, however, since our director, Tim Sharp, is leaving at the end of the year. He invited all of us to his house afterwards to have Barbeque and play Rock Band (ha!) Highlight of the evening: Dr. Sharp literally screaming out Van Halen whilst playing a video game with 18-20 year olds. Another highlight of the evening was a sing-a-long that (of course) happened. I found myself in the kitchen, snacking on cheese, and Dr. Sharp essentially commanded me to provide entertainment music in the living room. I willingly obliged, and of course swarms of wonderful attention hungry singers flocked to me and started singing along, and eventually Dr. Sharp joined in...(This is a really awful run-on sentence, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I'm simply conveying my excitement!)

I don't know if I mentioned it, but I started taking piano lessons this semester. Thus far they're going well, but I don't know how much I've progressed yet. I've decided I definitely want to continue piano, but also hopefully take voice and cello (at some point...voice before cello.)

Nicole Baker (a flutist in my music theory class) and I are about to start teaching music classes at a local elementary school. Should be an adventure!

Video-ing has sadly been put on hiatus due to extreme business, but I promise to post videos as soon as I have them/figure out how to upload them..


That's about it--thanks for reading!